Marine torch



Nov. 7, 1950 c. LINHARDT, JR

MARINE TORCH Filed June 12, 1947 INVENTOR. CHARLES LINHARDT, JR.

Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE t V` "72,528,887 'J f MARINE TORCH charles Linharai, Jr., Baltimore, Ma. Application June 12, 1947, serial Np. 754,284

1 Claim.

This invention relates to certain improvements in marine torches, and particularly is an improve,- ment of. my marine torch illustrated in Patent No.1 1,445,222, issued to me as of February`13,

1923, also Patent No. 1,737,424, issued November 26, 1929, and Patent No. 2,322,716, issued June The vprincipal object of my present invention is to provid'ea torchwliich'may be conveniently carried on ships, either on the water on in the air, and may be safely and conveniently stored without material-deterioration, and the parts of which may be quickly put in operative position so that alight will burn for a considerable length of time andA will be automatically re-ignited after ther `fl'arnehas been put out by being submerged beneath the waves.

` The present invention is similar to my patented Structure and carries the following improvement, i. e., a casing divided to provide a carbide chamber and gas'- chamber, andan auxiliary phosphite or ignition chamber, and of such construction as to have no connection with each other so as to prevent any explosion due to the mixing of the gases.

A further object of the invention is to provide a marine torch, equipped with means whereby the gases may be immediately utilized toprovide a continuous flame and one wherein the flame,

tubes lconveying the gas `are kept free from car.

. A further object of thisv invention is to* provide the' torch' with a screen whichl constitutes a fire arrester in event that the flame is blown through the tubes into the interior of the casing.

A further object of this invention is to provide a marine torch capable of being manufactured and sold at a comparatively small cost which will be durable at all times.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certain novel features, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the accompanying drawings, and claimed.

In the drawings,

Figure 1` shows the complete apparatus, comprising the torch, a life buoy, its connecting lines, and all supported from a rail of a ship;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the torch, having its protecting cap removed;

Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken on the lines 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the and onev ciasA arrows, and showing the protecting cap and bottom seal in place; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view, taken on the lines 4 4 of Figure 3, illustrating the baffle plate VIandV j Y the lead weight in the bottom ofthe container.

It is the aim of this invention to provide a more e'cient marine torch, one which can be manuiactured and-sold at a comparatively small cost i and one, when constructed as illustrated and de-v scribed, Iwill provide a non-explosive torch, positive in operation, and equipped with all means for safety in the use of the device. f

Referring to the drawings', A represents the rail and top 9, all soldered and welded rmly together to form a water-tight receptacle, as illustrated in Figure 3. upright position when in the water, an annular weight l0 is provided in the bottom 8 thereof, and is secured to the interior of the bottom and centrally thereof, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. Y

` Secured concentrically to and'depending from the inner side of the vtop 9 of the casing 6, is an auxiliary chamberv II, and the purpose of this chamber will be hereinafter more fully described.

Mounted in the center of the casing 6 is a reticulated tube or screen member I2 having one end securedcentrally to the inner face ofV the bottom 8, as at I3, and its `upper end-secured as at I4 concentrically to the bottom of the auxiliary chamber II.

A water conveying tube I5 extends upwardly through the bottom 8 centrally thereof, as at I6, has its upper end extending through' the bottom of the chamber II and terminating therein, as at I1.

A gas conveying tube I8 has one end secured to and extending through the top 9, and its opposite end extending down through the bottom of the chamber Il into the reticulated member- Athe casing 6, and dividesthe casing into a carbide chamber 20 and a gas chamber 2 I. 'i

A sealing capV 22 is secured to-the outer face In order to keep the buoy in proper j The bottom 8 :may bel-.provided shapedv member equipped with fins, so ythatjin the event thedevice'is dropped-trom-amair ship Y of the top 9, as at 23, with suitable soft solder, which permits this cap to be readily removed, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Extending through the cap 22, centrally thereof, is the cleaning wire 24, which is substantially U-shaped, having its longer portion 25 extending .downwardly through tube I5, out beyond the amasar Havingthus described my invention, what I cap 22 may be torn from the top'9,r pulling'the Wires from their respective tubesby virtue of the breaking of the seals 23 and 28, thus permitting Y 4 The reticulated tube or screen member I2, which constitutes a fire arrester, also performs the function of preventing the carbide and slug therefrom from interfering or getting in the tubes I5 and I8, respectively." This reticulated tube Will prevent the arne from being forced back into the chamber 2I and causing the gas therein to become ignited.

Itmight also be well to mention that the bale I9, b'eing Aof a diameter smaller th'an the interior of the casing 6, is a passageway 'for gas to pass around itsperipheral edge from the carbide chamber into the gas chamber 2 I.

claim as new is:

A marine torch of the class described, comprising ya casing having a top and a bottom, a

seal at 'the"top, "a re-igniting chamber fixed to water to enter the tube I5 and pass into the'V carbide chamber 20 through openings 29 formed in 'the lower :part of the `tu'befadjacent the bottom 8 thereof.

A'the 'elements of the, invention have vbeen described, and the'purp'ose offthese elements -when assembled,` 'asdescribed will now 'be explained.

when the-device isin use and the cap :22 has been .torn from the cover 9 vby virtue ofthe ring -28,1th'el w-ires lare -pulled 'from their respective tubes fI5 and 118, water enters through the-.bottom loi tube I5; 'enters Vinto Ythe 'carbide chamber 20 through the openings 28, causing gas to he generated which passes Vupwardly into chamber 2 I through `the Vreticulated tube I2, out through thergas tube' I8, andat the Sametime water has passed up the tube I5jinto chamber I I, in which is arranged' Ycalcium phosphide, and gas rising therefrom fthrough the opening in the Atop Smeets the' 4gas passing vthrough tube IB, igniting the same to'produce `the-llame. Y t

It'canbe readily seen, that ii the ame is Yput out lby the waves washing thereover, -that when the VwavesY recede the gases will Aagain meet and ignite,A and this operation will befcontinuous as long as the carbideV lremainsin the cham-ber `28 and the calcium phosphide in the chamber `Iv-I 'It issalso to be understood lthat the Water sloshingeven-the top 9 fof the casing 8 -Wil-l enter -the opening through which the gasesfrom-chamber Ivlxpassythus mixing with the calcium phosphide tofassure the vgenerationoflsuflicientgas to cause aconstantignitingaction whensmeeting the car-2 bidegasgpassing through tube I8. IWith-ia coneor kftheiike, ia-wiu `-be heid in uprightvpositiqig until it strikesithe Water. I n Y the -rnlne'r face of said top and located in ,said casing, a reticulated flame resisting member` 1ocated centrally `in the casing and Secured to the opposing faces 'of the casing and the Ire---igniting chamber, fa vbaille carried` vby the'reticulate'd .membeif'and located in the casing thereby 'dividing saidicasing-lnto upper and lower chambers, said lower chamber-providing a space `for gas `forming material, awater tube extending throughout the length of-:thefcasing and locatedinthefreticulated member :and-having; one -end terminating, in said re-igniting chamber, -said water tube having apertures through its wall providing for lwater flow into .said 'lower chamber, .a rgas conveying tube extending through-"said re-ignitingchamber and inte said reticulated `flame *resistingn member, andA havingone end secured to said top,a cleaning wire, a -portion of said cleaning wire extending throughout vthe length of Asaid water tube, a portionfof said cleaning wire extending through said gas tube, an .end .portion of said cleaning wire being -U fshaped, and arling in engagement with thesaid LU -shaped end `portion o'f said cleaning Vwire,thereby assuring ,positive withdrawal of both YWire portions when the cleaning Wire-is Withdrawn. f

' CHARLE'SLINHARDT', JR.

'REFERENCES CITED l The ffol-lowing references are .of recordin l.the le of this patent: 

